


Arms of Morpheus

by FlysWhumpCenter (TheDarkFlygon)



Series: Theatro Mundi (BTHB 2) [13]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Injury, Death, Drabble, Experimental Style, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hurt No Comfort, POV Third Person, Sibling Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-30
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-30 23:29:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20455334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDarkFlygon/pseuds/FlysWhumpCenter
Summary: It’s like she’s holding a shadow.Or: Ruri holds her brother against her as they talk for the last time.





	Arms of Morpheus

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [it's a little cold in paradise tonight](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19765678) by [managician](https://archiveofourown.org/users/managician/pseuds/managician). 

> Memento mori.
> 
> Written for my (second) Bad Things Happen Bingo card.  
https://morbusaegraquescribo.tumblr.com/post/186951923331/here-is-your-new-card-for-bad-things-happen-bingo  
Prompt: Craddling Someone in Their Arms + Kurosaki siblings
> 
> It's purposely short because it's an experiment and, frankly, I didn't see it any other way. I just wanted that maximum angst experience I usually don't even dare touching. I like change and variety more than I make it seem.  
It's also deeply inspired by managician's amazing story, "it's a little cold in paradise tonight". This story has got nothing on theirs, it's beautifully written and shaken me to my core every time I've read it, and I wanted to pay it tribute, albeit the relationship I picked is most likely not the best to do so. It's not my best work, so I'm not sure if it's this good of a tribute.  
I love writing Ruri according to what I got of her personality or speculated about.

Tears are running down a young girl’s cheeks, smoking as soon as they enter the cold air, clashing against the freezing zephyrs blowing through what reminds her of the ruins of what once was the paradise she lived in with friends and family.

Gone are the smiles and lights which used to dazzle in her eyes as she held onto her big brother’s hand, his smile shining the brightest to her child self, before they came and destroyed everything in their stead.

Her hands are now trembling with fear and warm, warm from attempting to start a fire, warm from digging for survivors, warm from scratching themselves on the ground, warm from the blood quickly drying on her fingers, red shifting to maroon as her focus is elsewhere.

She’s cold, they’re cold. The top of the tower is a mess of splatters and crackled stone, the setting of a disaster having broken loose and unleashed. The wind doesn’t let down, so do the whispers in her head whispering that it really is all her fault. How could she blame them? They’re right. She’s responsible for this.

There is nothing better for a hunter who has become the monster they swore to get rid off than to be put down, after all.

Yet, despite how monstrous she’s become, she has someone in her arms trying to reassure her. That doesn’t make a shred of sense, she knows it, but she can only see it unfold before her eyes: her brother, covered in his own blood, having the faintest smirk on his face and glassy eyes barely able to focus on hers.

It’s like she’s holding a shadow.

She wants to apologize, apologize over and over again, apologize for a thousand years and into the next life, apologize for everything she has ever done that has brought them to this day, this place, this situation. She doesn’t deserve forgiveness, but she apologizes in her mind anyway.

It overwhelms her to the extent that, in the end, she never verbally does what she’s supposed to do, and keeps her guilt on her heart like an armour smothering its knight.

_Ruri, I’m glad we got to reunite._

She can tell he’s being honest, that he really does think that; but the meaning of his words doesn’t reach her heart already shattered. Everyone she’s known is gone: her parents are gone, her friends are gone, her brother is disappearing before her eyes. There is nothing she can do but weep, and even then she can’t do so with the circumstances.

_I’m glad I got to see you too, big brother._

It’s not wrong, but the words don’t feel right nonetheless. Not when she’s the direct cause of their melancholic sentiment.

_I wish you weren’t crying. _

His eyes, despite their lack of focus and foggy irises, despite his complexion inexorably paling, seem to shine with all the life he has left. It aches, it hurts, and she can still tell he’s honest with her to the end. If only that wasn’t the end, if only they still had days to share together, doing silly sibling things, playing card games together, and she realizes she does miss his scolds and overbearing nature. Not for what they are at first glance, because they’re _his_.

They’re _Shun’s_, and soon, they’ll be gone like everything else she’s ever known that wasn’t war or desolation.

_Ruri, stay strong. Don’t cry._

She sniffles and nods, almost dishonestly, betraying the sorrow in her heart for a bravado she won’t keep for more than a few moments. Better make his send-off a relief.

_I’m sorry, big brother. I’m sorry for everything._

She still apologizes, and he tries to frown, but his strength has left him, and so is his warmth. He’s always been cold-blooded, closer to a lizard than a bird in that regard, and yet she’s frightened by how much warmer her skin feels when she cradles him as much as possible against her.

_You weren’t yourself. It’s fine._

He puts his hand on her face, leaving some blood behind. The tears won’t stop flowing despite her best intent and efforts.

_I’m relieved you’re safe and sound, Ruri. That’s all I wanted._

She knows that’s a lie. Shun wanted to see so much more than just her. He wanted to see their world be reborn, to reunite with their friends and celebrate their freedom coming back, to compete against Kaito and the other Clover Branch students, to see the bright lights and sparkles of Heartland again. It’s a lie, a filthy lie, a little white lie.

_That’s wrong, isn’t it?_

He puffs.

_Doesn’t make me less happy to have saved you, at least._

His voice is low, slow, groggy and has trouble exiting his mouth when it keeps getting interrupted by coughing fits and blood coming out of his body through the wrong exits. Again, nothing she could ever do about it. It’s too late and she doesn’t know how to fix her mistakes, war hasn’t taught her how to bring people to life or from the brink of death.

_Thank you, big brother. I’m sorry it had to end this way._

Her own voice is hesitant, filled with sobs she can’t retain. Her words barely reflect what she thinks, and as her arms wrap themselves around his chest because she can’t let his heart stop beating, she realizes how much his demise is unfitting and how bad she’s messed up. This shouldn’t have been the end for him.

_Promise me you’ll continue fighting. Free Heartland for us._

She doesn’t know if she can swear an oath to this.

_I promise._

She does it anyway.

_Good. I’m proud of you, Ruri._

Why? How could he be proud of his own murderer? How could he be proud of someone who let herself get brainwashed and mind controlled as she broke him down, hit by hit, with a maniacal laugh and crazed eyes until he found the fatal flaw and payed for it with his life?

It doesn’t make sense, but her hands can’t clutch her head to clear her thoughts out, too busy cradling him so he goes to sleep decently.

Death is just going to bed for a much, much longer time than usual, after all, isn’t it?

His warmth is almost gone and his eyes close without fluttering back open. The smirk turns into a faint smile, giving her conflicting feelings. She should be relieved to see him so relaxed about meeting his end today, yet she can’t not note how wrong it seems to her, after seeing him killing the enemy if it meant surviving. How could he find his peace in such a sudden ending to all the efforts he’s ever done?

She can’t muster the strength to tell him not to leave her alone in this strange land she doesn’t remember arriving in, not to leave them when they all have a world to rebuild and a future to share in a better context.

She’s not ready when he whispers his last words.

_Goodnight, Ruri._

She gives him what could very well be her last smile.

_Goodnight, Shun._

He goes cold in her arms.


End file.
